Kaye’s Legislative Package 2014

HB 484, prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes in public schools.

HB764, directing the Board of Audiology and Speech Pathology to review the need for licensure of assistant speech-language pathologists.

HB 36, requiring the State Board of Education to develop guidelines for academic classroom management of students who have suffered a concussion, was incorporated into Del. Anderson’s (R, Prince William) HB 410.

HB47, removing the surtax on hybrid vehicles and refunding past payments, was tabled by the Transportation Committee in favor of Chairman Rust’s bill, HB975, with similar language. HB 975 was enacted.

HB 381, repealing A-F grading of public schools was left in the Education Committee. I became a co-patron of Del. Landes’ HB 1229, which postpones implementation of the A-F school achievement ranking system by two years.

Pending Budget Amendment: Budget amendment Item 361, restoring Virginia’s annual dues payments for the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin was adopted by the House and for inclusion in the their respective versions of the 2015-2016 Budget Bill. As of May 4, 2014, however, the two Houses have not agreed on a Budget, so the restoring amendment has not yet taken effect.

Legislation continued to 2015. The following bills were continued on the Committee agenda for hearings and action during the interim between regular sessions. The Committee may reintroduce the bill in the 2015 Session.

HB 314, permitting retirees to subtract health insurance premiums from their Virginia taxable income, continued by the House Committee on Finance.

HB 742, requiring school and student broadband connectivity data to be reported as a foundation for determining the use of electronic textbooks, as well as how to work toward closing the Digital Divide, continued by the House Committee on Education.
HB 746, requiring that gifts to the families of legislators and elected officials be reported under the Conflict of Interest Act, continued by the House Committee on Courts of Justice.

HJ91, requiring a study of Virginia’s ethics laws, continued by the House Rules Committee.

Legislation defeated or left in Committee

HB 59, the Tuition Equity Act, providing in-state higher education tuition for undocumented Virginia students granted Delayed Action status, was tabled by the Education Committee in favor of Delegate Rust’s HB747, with similar language. HB 747 was reported out by the Education Committee but was left in the House Appropriations Committee.

HB 555, permitting localities to prohibit altering or impeding storm water flow on VDOT rights-of-way was reported by the House Transportation Committee but defeated on the House floor, 37 yea, 61 no.

HB 315, increasing criminal penalties for exploitation or intimidation of the elderly and disabled was left in the Committee on Courts of Justice.

HB 319, adding the choice of a paper check to the existing options (debit card and direct deposit) for issuing individual income tax refunds, was incorporated into Del. LeMunyon’s HB 440, which was left in the Committee on Finance.

HB 34, requiring healthy (8:00 am or later) daily start times for high school instruction programs was left in the Committee on Education.

HB 37, permitting voters over 65 to vote absentee without having to file a reason, was left in the Committee on Privileges and Elections.

HB 38, applying cost-of-living increases to Temporary Assistance to Needy Family (TANF) benefits, was left in the Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions.

HB 316, modifying teacher dismissal regulations enacted in 2013, was left in the Committee on Education.

HB 35, allowing localities to determine the start date of the school year (before labor Day or not), was tabled in the Education Committee in favor of Del. Greason’s HB 333, which has similar language. HB 333 passed the House but was left in the Senate Committee on Education and Health.

HB 961, requiring dyslexia screening in public schools, was left in the Committee on Education.

HB 320, clarifying reckless driving as the penalty for passing a vehicle stopped for pedestrians in a crosswalk, was tabled in the Committee on Transportation.

HB 362, increasing the teacher-student ratio for Limited English Proficiency students in the Standards of Learning, was left in the House Appropriations Committee along with the accompanying budget amendment.

HB 363, requiring the State Corporation Commission to consider environmental issues beyond the scope of the permitting process when licensing power plants, was left in the Committee on Commerce and Labor.

HJ 2, Designating the first week of June as Firefighter-EMS week in Virginia, left in the Rules Committee.

HJ 10, recognizing the value of early childhood education and setting a goal that the Virginia Preschool Initiative and Head Start together serve 50,000 children in the Commonwealth by 2019, was left in the Committee on Rules. The accompanying budget amendment for the Virginia Preschool Initiative was left in the House Appropriations Committee.

My budget amendment restoring full funding to the Foundation for Healthy Youth, was left in the House Appropriations Committee.

Co-Patroned Bills Enacted. I am also the co-patron of a number of enacted bills. Among the most significant are:

HB 198, clarifying that students who have committed certain weapons and drug offenses are not automatically required to be expelled.

HB 218, adding nicotine vapor products and alternative nicotine vapor products (i.e., electronic cigarettes) to the list of tobacco products that cannot be sold to or purchased by to a minor;
HB 380, narrowing exceptions to the Freedom of Information Act pursuant to any court order.

HB 576, broadening the range of dependents eligible for the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Program.

HB 848, allowing utilities to recover the costs of new underground distribution facilities through a strictly-limited rate adjustment clause.

HB1036, requiring the State Corporation commission to make available for public inspection records related to the Commission’s operational responsibilities and functions.
HB 1096, requiring school policies regarding the identification and handling of suspected concussions in student athletes.

I support transparency and will serve with integrity. My personal, gift and campaign finance disclosures can be found here.